Chapter 5 - The Brother in the Grave
Lucian reached Harbor Street in twenty-three minutes.
It should have taken forty.
By then, Evelyn was gone.
So was Renley.
The back door stood open.
One guard was unconscious in the alley but alive.
The second had chased a vehicle and lost it.
Lucian entered the kitchen like a storm.
Thomas followed.
Gabriel arrived three minutes later.
Lucian nearly hit him before Gabriel spoke.
"I didn't take her."
"Convenient."
"If I'd taken her, why would I come here?"
"Because you're arrogant."
"Also true. Still not evidence."
Thomas stepped between them.
"Stop."
Both men looked at him.
"The person with Evelyn was Adrian."
Gabriel went completely still.
"Don't say that name unless you're certain."
"I'm certain."
Gabriel sat down slowly.
For the first time since Renley met him, the polished confidence disappeared.
"He's alive?"
"Apparently."
Lucian stared at his uncle.
"You knew he survived the crash."
"No."
"Thomas says he did."
"I buried him."
"So did I."
Gabriel rubbed his face.
"Then your father lied to both of us."
Lucian paced.
Renley's bicycle remained beside the wall.
A ridiculous little pink bell had been attached to the handlebar.
Lucian stared at it.
She should have been riding home.
Instead, she had been dragged into a war that began before she was born.
His phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered immediately.
"Renley?"
"She's safe."
Adrian.
Lucian's knees nearly weakened.
Thirteen years.
"You bastard."
"Good to hear you too."
"Put her on."
A pause.
Then Renley's voice.
"I'm okay."
"Did they hurt you?"
"No."
"Is your mother there?"
"Yes."
Lucian closed his eyes.
"Renley, listen carefully. I need you to—"
"I'm not kidnapped."
He stopped.
"What?"
"I went with her."
"You were told not to leave."
"Yes."
"You left."
"Also yes."
"Renley."
"I'm sorry."
She sounded genuinely sorry.
That somehow made him angrier.
"Where are you?"
"Mom says not to tell you yet."
"Put your mother on."
A rustle.
Then silence.
Then Evelyn.
"Luc."
He couldn't speak.
His sister had called him that when they were children.
No one else did.
"You're alive."
"Yes."
"Six years."
"I know."
"You let us bury you."
"I know."
"You let your daughter think you were dead."
Her voice broke.
"I know."
Lucian wanted to scream.
Instead, he whispered, "Why?"
"Because Adrian found evidence that the network was still active. Somebody was following Renley. My death was the only way to make them stop."
"Who?"
"We still don't know."
"You had fifteen years."
"They're inside everything."
"Gabriel?"
"No."
Lucian looked at his uncle.
Gabriel heard.
Something like relief crossed his face, followed immediately by anger.
"Then why the note?"
"It wasn't mine."
"We know."
"Listen carefully. The person who planted it wanted you to blame Gabriel."
"Why?"
"To keep you from asking him about Father."
Gabriel stood.
"Put me on speaker."
Lucian did.
Evelyn continued.
"Uncle Gabe, tell him about the night Dad died."
Gabriel's face changed.
Lucian turned toward him.
"What about it?"
Gabriel didn't answer.
Evelyn said, "Tell him."
Gabriel exhaled.
"Your father didn't die from a heart attack."
Lucian stared.
"You signed the paperwork."
"I covered it up."
"How did he die?"
Gabriel's voice dropped.
"He was murdered."
"By whom?"
"We never knew."
Evelyn interrupted.
"We know now."
Everyone became silent.
Lucian gripped the phone.
"Who?"
"That's why I came back."
"Evelyn."
"The person who killed Dad also ordered Adrian's accident."
"Who?"
"And six years ago, that same person arranged my supposed death."
"Who?"
"Lucian, the answer is in your house."
His stomach tightened.
"What?"
"Your father's private safe."
"I emptied it years ago."
"No. You opened the decoy."
Lucian looked toward Marco.
"Where's the real one?"
"Behind Mother's portrait."
There hadn't been a portrait of their mother in the mansion for years.
Lucian had stored it in the west gallery.
"What's inside?"
"A ledger."
"You've seen it?"
"No. Dad told Adrian about it before he died."
Lucian looked at Gabriel.
Gabriel looked stunned.
"And Renley?"
"She stays with me until you find it."
"No."
"Luc—"
"No. Bring her back."
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because whoever arranged today's delivery wanted her inside your mansion."
Lucian stopped.
The entire plan became clearer.
The fake delivery.
The swapped bag.
The planted warning.
Send Evelyn's girl.
Someone had deliberately placed Renley at his front door.
"Why?"
"We don't know."
"Then don't tell me she's safe while you hide with a man who has been legally dead thirteen years."
Adrian's voice came through the phone.
"I'm hurt."
"Good."
Despite everything, Evelyn laughed.
It was brief.
Lucian nearly broke hearing it.
Then Renley returned.
"Uncle Lucian?"
"Yes."
"Mom really is Mom."
"I know."
"She's crying."
Lucian looked away.
"I'm sure."
"She's scared of you."
That surprised him.
"Why?"
"Because she thinks you hate her."
Lucian couldn't answer.
Did he?
Part of him wanted to.
Another part wanted to drive across the country until he found her and never let her disappear again.
"Tell her she's wrong."
A long silence.
"Okay."
The call ended.
Lucian went directly to the mansion.
Gabriel and Marco followed.
The west gallery had been closed for renovations.
Lucian entered and ordered everyone else out except Gabriel.
His mother's portrait stood beneath a protective sheet.
He pulled it away.
Helena Vale stared back at him from twenty years earlier.
Elegant.
Distant.
Unhappy.
Lucian removed the frame.
Behind it was plain wall.
"No safe," Gabriel said.
Lucian examined the molding.
One section moved.
A panel opened.
Behind it was a steel safe.
Gabriel whispered a curse.
"You truly didn't know?"
"No."
Lucian tried combinations.
Birthdays.
Dates.
Nothing.
Then he remembered Evelyn's letter.
The summer Adrian learned to swim.
He entered the year.
The safe opened.
Inside was one black ledger.
One envelope.
One old key.
Lucian opened the ledger.
Pages of transactions.
Names.
Dates.
Codes.
Most were unfamiliar.
Gabriel leaned closer.
Then he stopped.
"What?"
Gabriel pointed.
A repeated authorization appeared beside dozens of payments.
M.V.
Lucian searched his memory.
"No one in the family has those initials."
Gabriel turned pages.
Then reached the final section.
A photograph had been clipped inside.
A woman.
About fifty.
Blond hair.
Expensive suit.
Lucian knew her.
Everyone in the city did.
Mayor Margaret Voss.
Gabriel whispered, "Oh, God."
Lucian read the transactions.
Payments to judges.
Police commanders.
Private investigators.
Then one entry:
A.V. REMOVAL — APPROVED.
Adrian Vale.
Another:
E.V. CONTAINMENT — FAILED.
Evelyn Vale.
Another, dated today:
R.H. TRANSFER — BELL. CREST.
Renley Hart.
Lucian felt cold.
The delivery hadn't merely been designed to bring Renley to him.
Someone had recorded it as a transfer.
Gabriel's phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
"What?"
He put the call on speaker.
A guard's voice.
"Sir, police vehicles just entered the Vale property."
Lucian frowned.
"For what?"
"They have a warrant."
"What warrant?"
The guard hesitated.
"Kidnapping."
Gabriel stared at Lucian.
"Whose kidnapping?"
"Renley Hart."
Lucian looked at the ledger.
The accusation was perfect.
A poor twelve-year-old girl had been seen entering the mansion of a feared criminal.
She later disappeared.
The security footage would show Lucian ordering his guards around her.
Someone had built a trap around him in broad daylight.
Then another call arrived.
This one from Renley.
Lucian answered.
She was whispering.
"Uncle Lucian."
"What happened?"
"Mom said we have to move."
"Why?"
"Because someone found us."
Lucian stood.
"Who?"
Renley breathed shakily.
Then she said, "The police."
A crash sounded behind her.
Evelyn shouted.
Adrian yelled something Lucian couldn't understand.
Then a woman spoke directly into Renley's phone.
"Mr. Vale?"
Lucian recognized the voice from television.
May you like
Mayor Margaret Voss.
"I believe you have something that belongs to me."
